The defence The Sentimental Softie
“Sincerity is not manipulation.”
The film risks embarrassment to make emotion communal, and that openness is harder than fashionable detachment.
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The Fabulous Baker Boys
Comedy · Drama · Music · 1989
The lives of two struggling musicians, who happen to be brothers, inevitably change when they team up with a beautiful, up-and-coming singer.
Movie details
The Fabulous Baker Boys
“For 31 years it's been just the Fabulous Baker Boys... but times change.”
1989 Comedy · Drama · Music 1h 54m
Critical arithmetic
One number, for now.
Scores change. Arguments endure.
TMDB
6.6 / 10
Community rating
The lives of two struggling musicians, who happen to be brothers, inevitably change when they team up with a beautiful, up-and-coming singer.
CriticWise case file
What this film says about your taste.
Not a recommendation score. A measure of how closely the film’s taste signals resemble yours.
The archetype split
Who fights over The Fabulous Baker Boys?
For the defence
The Sentimental Softie
“You came to feel something, and you will.”
Read their case For the prosecution
The Cool Ironist
“Feeling things is a little embarrassing.”
Read their objectionThe split comes from the same five-axis model used by the test, not audience ratings or review sentiment.
Taste neighbourhood
Nearby on the taste map.
TMDB supplies the candidates. CriticWise reorders them by craft, strangeness, prestige, emotion, and pace.
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Names above the title
The people responsible.
Cast & crew
Directed by
Steve Kloves
Written by
Steve Kloves
Michelle Pfeiffer
Susie Diamond
Jeff Bridges
Jack Baker
Beau Bridges
Frank Baker
E
Ellie Raab
Nina
Jennifer Tilly
Monica Moran
Xander Berkeley
Lloyd
Terri Treas
Girl in Bed
Court is in session
Put The Fabulous Baker Boys on trial.
Two incompatible taste archetypes. One film. Read the arguments, then issue a completely binding cultural ruling.
The prosecution The Cool Ironist
“The strings are showing.”
Every cue tells you exactly what to feel and when, leaving sentiment to do the work character should have done.